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Drains can be a major headache and we at Speedy Jet Drainage have the solution for any problems you may encounter with your drainage in the London area but let’s take a look at some of the questions you may have on the subject.

Who Is Legally Responsible For My Drains?

It used to be the case that you were responsible for your drain until the point at which it met the public sewer, even if that section of drain wasn’t on your property, meaning you were responsible even for sections that ran beneath public highways. You were also jointly responsible for any drain shared with your neighbours. read more →

Damaged drains can be a major source of worry and disruption and can cost you large amounts of money. There are also possible health risks, with the danger of bacteria building up and being transmitted. That is why it is vital to deal with any issues as soon as you become aware of them. But how does one know when such a problem has arisen? The guide below should help give you some indicators as to when it’s time to bring in the experts for professional drainage services. read more →

Strategies for Preventing Blocked Drains

Whether in the street or at home, a blocked drain can be an annoyance. Image by Liz Boynton (via Shutterstock).

The easiest and simplest way to prevent blocked drains is by taking care of what you deposit in the drain channels. Stuff like grease, hair, coffee grounds and soap scum are detrimental to the drains and should be avoided. First, cooking grease and coffee ground deposits should be discarded in the garbage trash and not washed down the sink. Secondly, use a sieve or drain screen to cover the mouth of the drain so as to avoid hair, soap scum, and other materials from getting in. read more →

How the pouring of builders’ cement into a Peckham sewer saw this part of South London affected by the mother of blocked drains

Culprit: builders’ cement. Image by Apidach (via Shutterstock).

In February this year, a ‘selfish and irresponsible’ fellow didn’t take heed of the Three Ps message (Pee Poo Paper only) of the water companies. Instead of sticking to the Three Ps, the anonymous culprit poured cement into the sewers. With a few grams of builders’ cement, Peckham’s sewers were blocked that month. Hanover Park was affected by the mother of blocked drains.

Video footage of drainage systems in action

Some of London’s greatest architectural wonders are almost invisible to the human eye. They are as much a London icon as the Underground and Trafalgar Square. It is the city’s Victorian sewers designed by Joseph Bazalgette. The sewers were built to rid the city of cholera epidemics, as the River Thames was used as an open sewer. As a tribute to Bazalgette’s ingenuity, we have a selection of drainage clips for your delight. read more →

Postmodern pumping station by John Outram granted Grade II* Listed Building status

In most cases, function trumps form in terms of pumping station design. Most buildings are utilitarian, nondescript structures, with the exception of late-19th century structures. As for getting Listed Building Status, like rocking horse dump.

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A selection of strange things that have been seen in drains

Clean drains are next to godliness. One with a fatberg or a can of lager is the spawn of Satan. Image by Urbazon (via Shutterstock).

In a previous post, we looked at fatbergs. This was in relation to how they blocked our sewers. We said how it was a big problem in our part of the world. Shortly after our piece, we found out about the unusual things that have been seen in drains. This time, the Northumberland Gazette’s latest article has inspired our post.

Here’s a look at the six strangest things to have been seen in our drains.

A selection of unusual and ornate manhole covers from around the world

Unless you fall in one, or work in our industry, manhole covers are something we take for granted. We think of them as serving a purpose, and that many of them look pretty similar. The latter point is further than the truth. Over the last 200 years, there has been numerous designs, especially up to the mid-20th century. Some companies, like John Needham and Son in Stockport, became nationwide players till their foundry closed in 1979.